Alenia and ATK Complete C-27J Gun Trials

FARNBOROUGH -- AleniaAermacchi and ATK have completed a critical first phase of ground and flight testing of the MC-27J Pretorian multi-mission aircraft.

The trials, which took place in Italy, during June also proved the ability to accurately fire ATK’s paratroop door-mounted ATK GAU-23 30mm cannon.

The Italian Air Force MC-27J was also modified with an L-3 Wescam MX-15 electro-optical camera system under the nose. The gun is mounted on a pallet which can be loaded and unloaded into the rear cabin of the twin-turboprop airlifter.

The companies claim that the trials “validate the capabilities of the roll-on, roll-off gun and mission systems and demonstrates that the program is ready for fielding.”

“This testing builds on previous gun accuracy flight tests done with the MC-27J at Eglin AFB in 2013 and will provide the aircraft with a vital capability and a greater mission flexibility at an affordable cost,” the companies stated in a July 16 press release. The aircraft used was the MC-27J prototype, converted from a standard C-27J operated by the Italian Air Force. The air arm announced it would order six of its C-27Js to be converted to MC-27J Praetorian standard at last year’s Dubai Airshow although only three will be configured at any one time.

ATK is also working on the conversion of a Jordanian Air Force C295 into a gunship configuration. The work follows on from the May delivery of two ex-Spanish Air Force CN235s to Jordan in a multi-mission configuration with guided weapons intelligence-gathering equipment. The C295 work is being carried out by ATK and the Amman-based King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau (KADDB). According to ATK, the longer airframe and larger engines of the C295 allow extended mission times and additional capabilities. “New weapons added to the AC-295 will also be configured to work on the existing AC-235s for maximum mission flexibility,” the company said.